Werder Bremen lost on the 25th game day of the Bundesliga 1-0 at Borussia Dortmund on a penalty goal by Alexander Frei in the 64th minute.

Both teams started the game with a high tempo though both defences stood very solid in the back and withstood any top goal chances. Werder had a bit of luck as Petri Pasanen cleared at the last moment Sebastian Kehl’s rebound shot from 12 yards. Shortly thereafter Claudio Pizarro had Bremen’s first chance but sent his shot over the bar from just three yards out. Not much else happened in the rest of the first half, which ended with the teams tied at 0-0.

Shortly after the break, it was Per Mertesacker’s turn to save a chance in the final second as he stopped Frei. But Dortmund had more run of play and were closer to the first goal. And in the 63rd minute, Sebastian Boenisch felled Nelson Valdez in the area for a Dortmund penalty. Frei stepped up to the spot and did not waste the opportunity, converting the lead for the hosts after 64 minutes. Dortmund had a number of good chances to double the lead as Werder allowed too much space in the back. But Bremen nearly equalised with five minutes left only to have Pizarro stopped by Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller. In the end, the penalty was the only thing separating the teams.

The game at a glance:

Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller – Owomoyela, Subotic, Santana, Dede (86' Schmelzer) - Kehl – Tinga, Kringe (79' Sahin) – Hajnal – Frei (79' Blaszczykowski), Valdez

Werder Bremen: Wiese – Prödl (77' Harnik), Pasanen, Mertesacker, Boenisch – Niemeyer (66' Jensen) – Tziolis (77' Hunt), Özil – Diego – Pizarro, Almeida

Goal: 1-0 Frei (63'/penalty)

Referee: Kircher (Rottenburg)

Attendance: 75,500 (Signal-Iduna-Park)

Yellow cards: Tinga – Jensen, Wiese